Suture (The Bleeding Worlds) (25 page)

She fell, the floor rushing toward her…

She landed in a bed of soft grass.

"What?"

Fuyuko rolled to a crouching position, pushing her human senses as far as she could.

"It's all right, Ms. Takeda, no one will harm you here."

She spun around to see a thin man, pale, and dressed in black, sitting on top of a bolder.

"You must be Morpheus," she said. Because who else could take her from sleep to an open grassy field in a matter of seconds.

His eyebrow raised. "I'm glad to see my reputation precedes me." He gave a slight bow.

"I know your daughter," Fuyuko said.

"Indeed. The very reason we're having this conversation."

Fuyuko eyed her surroundings. An open field with lush green grass left to grow wild. The only defining geographic feature was the bolder Morpheus sat on. She didn't see anything useful as a weapon. On the other hand, she didn't see anything screaming horrors and torture like Woten had promised.

"So you want to talk? About Angie? Are we skipping the whole torture thing? Or have you had your fill after spending the last eight months tormenting my father?"

Morpheus sighed and shook his head. "I hoped we could avoid the accusations and anger. I'm afraid my time with you is limited, so I'd much rather spend it productively."

Fuyuko opened her mouth to argue, but found her voice wouldn't come.

"I'm sorry, but as I control the rules here, I'm going to have to ask you to be a little patient, and keep quiet until I finish. You see, in a matter of minutes, a number of promises will be fulfilled. I'm afraid the results will destroy the life you've known forever. It's not fair for you to be pressed into that without having first made a choice to do so, but often life isn't fair. Besides, I suspect you knew when you made the choice to pursue your brother's true fate, there would be consequences."

Fuyuko nodded.

"Well, good. At least my conscience will be clear on that matter. However, there is one other favour I must ask. My daughter, your friend Angie, please take her with you."

Fuyuko attempted to say,
where am I going?

Despite no sound escaping, Morpheus seemed to understand. "I can't tell you. To be honest, that has been purposely kept from me. All I know is soon, you will be going, and I want you to promise you'll take Angie."

Why?

"No organization created by beings thousands of years old, and could be considered as gods, can be constructed without its share of secrets and agendas. The agenda of one in particular has become a…concern. Haven't you wondered why, apart from the eternals, your brother was the oldest member of Suture? The
majority
of the children here are considerably younger than even yourself."

I'd never thought about it.

"Of course you didn't. That's the joy of humans, if a system is in place from the time of our birth, we rarely question it, as we take it for granted. Woten showed you the tubes in his little hall of souls, didn't he?"

Yes. He said they would allow him to create an army of Anunnaki.

Morpheus chuckled. "He didn't tell you he's already used that material to create an army? You're a member of it."

Fuyuko tried to gasp, scream, even curse Morpheus for what he suggested, but her remained silent. She grasped at her throat, as if the pressure might push the sound out.

"Shinji Takeda, a man who proved so brilliant, unlocked a way to manipulate unborn fetuses so they could become Anunnaki. Suture's most loyal signed up. The first one to volunteer his child was the very man who perfected the procedure. After all, who would pass up the opportunity to give birth to the next race of gods?"

Her initial disbelief and anger gave way to memory of her father's words. 'Losing your brother was my punishment for treading into the realms of God.'

Is that why the Eternal ones never age, but we still do?

"Very astute—truly your father's daughter. While the ranks of the other branches of Suture wither, Woten has ensured no one has a chance of challenging him. But not all of your teammates came from your father's experiments. Angie
is
my daughter, and Woten has used her as a way to maintain my services."

Couldn't Zeus help?

At this Morpheus broke into riotous laughter.

"Zeus is many things, but forgiving of transgressions isn't one of them. We had a…falling out, you might say. Well, I forced it so he wouldn't question my staying with Woten. I thought I was protecting my daughter. But that decision is exactly why I need you to swear to me you will take Angie. Zeus won't bother, but he is sworn to aid you. If you refuse to leave without Angie, he'll have no choice but to aid her."

Fuyuko nodded.
Zeus? Sworn to protect me? Why?

"You will find out soon. Promise me now, you will take Angie with you.

I won't leave her behind. I swear.

Morpheus smiled. "You're indeed worthy of the high regard in which your father holds you."

He pulled back his dark sleeve and looked at a watch on his wrist.

"It appears our time is up. Thank you, Fuyuko Takeda. I hope we meet again someday."

Fuyuko gave a slight bow.

"Oh, and Fuyuko, when you have a chance, tell my daughter I never abandoned her. I've watched over her every moment of her life. Tell her I'm proud of her."

I will.

Morpheus raised his arm, and with a flourish, snapped his fingers.

She woke on the cool floor of the cell block. She didn't feel groggy, if anything, she felt refreshed. When she got to her feet, she had to steady herself on the wall as reality rushed at her a little too quickly. She blinked some loose sleep from her eyes. The two men in black were still unconscious, locked in the cell.

If they're still out, I couldn't have been sleeping that long.

At the end of the hall, the elevator doors slid open, revealing five more guards.

Fuyuko assumed a defensive stance. Veil or not, her encounter with the two men before demonstrated her body still remembered its training.

Each of the men clicked open an assault baton.

Right. Every place in Suture has cameras. They're ready for me.

They came at once, using numbers to their advantage. Retreat would bring her to a dead end, so she surged forward. Her knee crushed into the solar plexus of the first man she reached. She paid for it with a baton from another crashing against her side. Her elbow reached his face, but didn't connect hard enough to put him down. Another baton smashed into her arm with a loud crack. The arm went dead. Fuyuko wouldn't give them the satisfaction of hearing her scream, but she tasted blood from the effort of silence.

The men surrounded her. The smallness of the hallway pressing them closer to her, always within striking distance. She might've kept silent, but they saw her pain. They would take her alive if possible. But they wouldn't refrain from hurting her more given the opportunity. Did she drop now, surrender, and maybe avoid more fractures? Maybe she should just push them to the point of killing her. Perhaps death in battle was better than death in a cell.

The sound of the elevator doors opening drew their collective attention.

"Gentlemen," the new arrival said, his arms wide in greeting and his white suit so crisp, so spotless, it glowed. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to refrain from inflicting any more injury upon this girl."

The men tensed.

"Lord Zeus," one of them said, "our orders come directly from Woten. I'm sorry, but you have no authority here."

Zeus nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, that would normally be true." A sly grin crossed his lips. "But if you've read any mythology, you should know I often interfere when it comes to matters involving women."

Lightning arced across the ceiling. The fluorescents exploded with pops like gunfire and the security cameras sizzled. Within seconds, the hall plunged into complete darkness—except for the pair of eyes where Zeus stood, blazing with white fire.

"We could've avoided so much unpleasantness if you'd just said, yes," Zeus said.

The fiery eyes disappeared. The hall filled with screams and strobes of light.

Fuyuko tried to calm the pounding of her heart. She tried to remind herself of Morpheus' words; Zeus was sworn to protect her. But who had he sworn that to, and why?

Her arm throbbed—a definite fracture. If she had the Veil, she'd be healed within seconds. But then, if she'd had the Veil, she wouldn't have been injured. The frustration burned.

"Miss Takeda," Zeus said.

Her chest clenched. She hadn't realized the hall had become silent.

"I'll need you to come with me," Zeus said. "I promise, no further injury will come to you."

Sparks of electricity jumping between Zeus' fingers illuminated the hall. With his other hand, he guided her by her uninjured arm. She only managed a few steps until nausea brought her to a halt.

Sweat streamed down her face. Her stomach convulsed and she couldn't fight back the bile any longer.

"We won't get very far with you in this condition. I can't heal it, but I can disrupt the electrical messages that tell your brain there is pain."

She didn't like the idea of someone messing with the electrical impulses to her brain. She took a couple of fortifying breaths.

C'mon Fuyuko, you can do this.

She stood straight, took a step, then barfed again.

Dammit.

"Fine," she said. "Do it."

"It won't be permanent, just long enough for us to escape."

His fingers brushed near her shoulder accompanied by quick stabs of pain like his fingers had needles in the tips.

"How do you feel now?" Zeus asked.

She took a hesitant step and managed to not empty her stomach. She'd lost all feeling to the arm.

"It's fine. I can move. Thanks."

He lit their way down the hall to the elevator, which opened as though waiting for them.

"I know you're powerful," Fuyuko said,"but how do you expect us to get out of here? Woten will send Anunnaki next time."

Zeus' eyebrow raised. "Are you doubting me?"

"No, no, not at all. I just like knowing the plan upfront."

Zeus returned his attention to the numbers on the elevator's display. Fuyuko couldn't recall him pressing any buttons and none were illuminated on the panel.

"No need to worry, this plan has been well thought out."

"There's one catch. We need to find my friend Angie."

Zeus turned on her, his eyes flaring white.

"This isn't some social gathering, little girl. Lives have been, and will be, lost in this endeavour. We don't have time for extra passengers."

"I gave my word." She did her best not to let her voice falter. "I won't leave without her."

"Do you honestly think I can't just
make
you leave?"

"I know you can, sir. But I'd hope you wouldn't have me dishonour a vow I made, especially when it was one of your own kinsmen."

"Who would you have made such a vow… Ah, I see. Morpheus. That crafty bastard. I wouldn't promise him his daughter's safety, so he's using your word to force me by proxy. Clever man. I will promise to do my best to accommodate your vow. However, if it becomes a fool's mission that will result in your death, I will make you leave. Is this acceptable?"

He asked, but she knew there would be no other options for negotiation.

"It is. Thank you."

Zeus pulled back his sleeve to consult his watch.

"Well, we're slightly ahead of schedule, so it should be fine. Where is your friend?"

Fuyuko directed him to the dorm level. She hoped Angie would still be in her room waiting for Fuyuko's return.

The doors began to open at the dorm level. They'd only opened a fraction when Zeus shoved her aside.

"Get down!" he yelled.

A hail of bullets tore through the opening.

"Apparently they were waiting for us."

"Woten said there are cameras everywhere, even ones we don't know about."

Zeus shook his head. "Damn me and being ahead of schedule. The security net won't be down for another…" He looked at his watch. "Thirty-seconds. I should've waited. Oh well, where's the fun in doing it the easy way?"

Bolts of lightning leapt from his hand into the hall.

"If I ever face Woten again, remind me to thank him for using metal in the walls."

From her vantage point, she saw the lightning bouncing from wall to wall, ricocheting toward the guards. Bolt after bolt he fired, each being rewarded with sounds of pain and panic.

The lights switched from their usual fluorescent white to a flashing red. A piercing alarm cut through all other sounds.

"Well, that would be our cue," Zeus said.

He dashed out of the elevator, continuing to fire bolts at wild angles, making their paths unpredictable.

A computerized voice began to broadcast.

"Level Five Emergency. Level Five Emergency. All Personnel to follow evacuation protocols. Repeat…"

The message replayed repeatedly. In the distance came sounds of chaos. A Level Five Emergency was complete system failure, meaning Suture would soon be incapable of supporting life. Every floor was equipped with a series of escape pods that followed twisting tunnels bringing them to the surface several miles from Suture. She'd never questioned if something might happen in those long lengths of tunnels. Protecting Suture's location seemed so much more important. That Suture valued its secrets more than its people should've been a clue. She silently cursed herself for being so blind.

Zeus' bolts had nullified most of the guards. The others had abandoned their posts to evacuate. Regardless, they hesitated at each branch of the hall to ensure their path was clear.

"The entire security net should be down," Zeus said. "So the cameras shouldn't be an issue any longer."

"Who's doing this?" It had to be
someone
because in all of Suture's existence there had never been a Level Five Emergency.

"Your father. We've been working on this plan for over a year. When we're a safe distance from here I'll explain everything."